Experts Available: Trump’s Third Muslim Ban to be Argued in Court, Friday

On Friday, Dec. 8, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, VA will hear argument on President Trump’s third attempt to institute the “Muslim Ban” promised during his presidential campaign. A federal trial court in Maryland found the ban to be unlawful and unconstitutional in October; the previous two versions of the ban were also held by courts to be unconstitutional.

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is representing six American Muslim plaintiffs in the case, who would face devastating consequences if the order was implemented. Their suit seeks to halt the ban, which was revived yesterday by the U.S. Supreme Court in response to an emergency motion by the government. The Court has allowed the ban to go into effect while legal challenges proceed in the Fourth and Ninth Circuits, although it took no position on the merits. The ban will harm Muslim travelers and their families, including the plaintiffs in this case, making this week's appellate arguments more important than ever.

“The ban, if allowed to move forward, will have a tragic and personal impact on the lives of many Americans and those whom they love most,” wrote lead plaintiff and Ohio State University Lecturer Eblal Zakzok in an op-ed published in USA Today. “Yes, the ban is contrary to the traditional American values I’ve come to love. But its damage will go far beyond contradicting our values. Real people — wives, children, siblings and parents, who might otherwise find safety in the country that saved my life — will face separation and unspeakable harm if the ban is implemented.”

Plaintiffs in Zakzok v. Trump include a father separated from his daughter, an American citizen whose wife is separated from their sick child, an American citizen whose sister could be barred from contributing to a genetic research project at a U.S. university, and more. Joining the Brennan Center in bringing this lawsuit are the Council on American Islamic Relations and Jethro Eisenstein of the law firm of Profeta & Eisenstein.

Brennan Center Experts, including Liberty & National Security Program Co-Director Faiza Patel and Senior Counsel Michael W. Price, are available for interview on the case and Trump’s immigration policy.

Arguments are held on Friday, December 8, at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia, at 9:00 AM EST.

Immediately after the argument, groups bringing the cases against the travel ban, including the Brennan Center, Council on American-Islamic Relations, ACLU, International Refugee Assistance Project, Iranian Americans Across Borders, Muslim Advocates, and National Immigration Law Center, will hold a media briefing in front of the courthouse.